Cuboid flat gable package

ABSTRACT

The specification represents and describes a cuboid flat gable package made from a multi-layer composite, with the composite having at least one carrier layer made from paper or cardboard, a coupling layer, a barrier layer and a double-sided plastic coating made from polyethylene (PE), with an opening area provided in the package gable which forms the pour opening after the severing, with a pouring element provided with a reclosable closing lid whose flange encompassing the opening area is rigidly connected to the package surface, with the closing lid simultaneously representing the opening mechanism. A reliable connection of pouring element and package gable is ensured in such a way that the opening area is provided with a weakening for support, that the pouring element is arranged on the side of the package surface on which the gable seam is folded and that the part of the flange of the pouring element facing the gable seam reaches approximately up to the gable seam and up to the folding edge of the package tab and is fixed between package surface and folded gable seam. Furthermore, a process to produce such a flat gable package is described.

The invention relates to a cuboid flat gable package, in particular atab package with central or corner seam, with the composite having atleast one carrier layer made from paper or cardboard, a coupling layer,a barrier layer, preferably made from aluminium, and a double-sidedplastic coating made from polyethylene (PE), with an opening areaprovided in the package gable which forms the pour opening after thesevering, with a pouring element provided with a reclosable closing lidwhose flange encompassing the opening area is rigidly connected to thepackage surface, with the closing lid simultaneously representing theopening means and with the opening area having a weakening to supportthe opening process, as well as a method to produce such a cuboid flatgable package.

Cuboid flat gable composite packages are known in numerous arrangements.They are used predominantly in the field of liquid packages inconnection with cold, cold-sterile, hot and aseptic fillings. Thesepackages can usually not be closed any more once they are opened. It hastherefore already been proposed in connection with flat gable compositepackages of the kind mentioned above to arrange a pouring element in thepackage gable which is equipped with a respective closing lid (DE 38 08303 A2). A circular severing line to weaken the gable material isprovided in the zone of the cardboard layer and the outer PE layer, intowhich a respective tubus, which is connected with the closing lid in onepiece and corresponds to the shape of the circular severing line, ispressed into the package material in order to open the package. For thepurpose of easier severing of the weakened severing line, the lower edgeof the tube is provided with suitable mechanical opening means such asblades or the like.

The aforementioned flat gable composite package can be improved inrespect of several items. It is clear that for the purpose of storageand transportation it must be ensured that the tube connected with theclosing lid must not penetrate the material prematurely, i.e. prior tothe first use of the package. For this purpose a strap is providedaccording to the current state of the art for this kind of inventionswhich fixes at a specific distance the closing lid and the flange of thepouring element which circles the severing line. Only after the removalof the strap is it possible to push the opening tubus into the packagecomposite material by pressing in the closing lid. This leads to theconsequence that a certain minimum height of the known pouring elementis mandatorily required. This is a disadvantage owing to thestackability required for flat gable composite packages.

Other known flat gable packages (EP 0 238 947 B1) provide that the pouropening is opened up by pulling off a strap which covers the openingarea. Although this leads to a particularly flat overall height, thisproposed solution is not capable of ensuring the tight reclosability ofthe packages. Moreover, this solution requires the severing andimmediate resealing of the liquid sealing layer and the barrier layer,which leads to risks concerning tightness and sterility.

Although the requirement concerning the reclosability and tightness issufficiently met by the pouring elements applied on the package gable,the resultant which usually projects outwardly on the joint in levermechanisms leads to tearing off the pour spout in the known embodimentsowing to the weak layer adherence of the cardboard layer or thecardboard PE layers. Moreover, the tearing off of pouring elementsfrequently occurs during the transportation and stacking of such flatgable packages, particularly as a result of the overall height of thepouring element. Such a package is no longer usable and is no longeraccepted by retailers and consumers.

Starting out from this, the present invention is based on the object ofproviding and further developing a cuboid flat gable composite packageof the type mentioned above and a process for its production, so that areliable connection of pouring element and package gable is securelyensured. In addition, it is desired that the overall height of thepouring element used is reduced.

With respect to the flat gable composite package, the solution to thisobject consists of arranging the pouring element on the side of thepackage surface where the gable seam is folded and that the part of theflange of the pouring element facing the gable seam reachesapproximately up to the gable seam and up to the bending edge of thepackage tab and is fixed between package surface and folded gable seam.As a result of the secure fixing of the flange of the pouring elementbetween gable seam and the upper side of the package, the tearing off ofthe pouring element during the opening and handling is reliablyprevented.

With respect to the production process of such a flat gable compositepackage, the object is achieved by the following steps:

Producing the opening area in the carrier layer in the zone of thefuture pouring opening;

corrugating the multi-layer composite;

prefolding the package blank;

sealing the longitudinal seam into a tube-like package envelope;

folding and sealing of the package floor;

filling the package;

folding and sealing the upper gable seam;

application of the pouring element provided with the closing lid on theopening area with vertically projecting gable seam;

folding the gable seam;

folding and sealing on the package tabs.

A further doctrine of the invention provides that the part of the flangeof the pouring element which is averted from the gable seam is arrangedbeyond the package edge in one suffient piece with a back square whichpartly encompasses the side wall of the package and the face wall of thepackage. The back square is securely fixed by the package tabs after thesealing on of the package tabs. In such an embodiment of the pouringelement the glueing on occurs on three different package sides. Inaddition to the further improved adherence of pouring element andpackage surface (caused by the back square) it is also ensured reliablythat the pouring element cannot be displaced with respect to the openingarea during the application. It is understood that pouring elements ofdifferent sizes have to be used for the different package sizes, in anycase concerning the size of flange and back square. As a result of thefact that the application of a pouring element provided with a backsquare occurs while the gable seam still projects perpendicularly andthe package tabs project horizontally, it is necessary to provide arecess in the zone of the respective package tab between the face-sidedpart of the back square and the actual pouring element. This recess isfavourably arranged in a slot-like manner, with the slot width onlybeing slightly larger than the thickness of the package tab. In this waythe sealing on of the tabs on the face side of the package fixedly sealsa part of the back square between package tab and the face wall of thepackage, and the connection between pouring element and package isincreased further.

To weaken the opening area in the zone of the future pouring hole it ispossible, on the one hand, to omit the carrier layer entirely in thezone of the opening area and that after punching out or cutting out theopening area in this zone only the PE-layers and the barrier layer haveto be destroyed. It is also possible that for weaking purposes thecarrier layer and, optionally, the coupling layer in the zone of theopening area are provided with a severing line, e.g. a semi-circularone. This severing line can also be punched out, but preferably such asevering line is produced by means of a laser beam cut.

In accordance with a Further doctrine of the invention, the pouringelement is provided with a pass-through opening which in its size andshape corresponds to the opening area provided on the package gable.Furthermore, the closing lid is arranged as an opening lever inaccordance with the invention, which lever is connected with the pouringelement in a hinged manner so that during its actuation the package isopened, e.g. semi-circularly, in the zone of the opening area. For thispurpose the closing lid is provided in accordance with a furtherdoctrine of the invention with two laterally projecting journals forpin-jointed bearing which engage in respective recesses in the pouringelement. The recesses receiving the journals are favourably arrangedlaterally above the pass-through opening in the pouring element. Theclosing lid arranged as an opening lever and the pouring element areproduced in two parts and the recesses in the pouring elment arearranged in such a way that they allow a subsequent clamping tight ofthe journals.

Prior to the application of the pouring element provided with theclosing lid it is therefore necessary to join both parts.

It has proved particularly favourable that the journals divide theopening lever at a ratio of 1:5 to 1:3 (pressing-in lever handle lever).In this way a relatively simple opening of the package is ensured as aresult of the lever action. To ensure that the closing lid can be closedtightly with the pouring element to achieve the desired re-closability,a further doctrine of the invention provides that the closing lid and/orthe pouring element are provided with means for snap-catching theclosing lid in the closing position.

In a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that the pouringelement is provided towards the face wall of the package with a pouringgroove. This ensures that after the pouring, as a result of the sharpdripping edge, liquid cannot run down along the face side of the packageand any remaining residual liquid flows back into the interior of thepackage through the pouring groove. The danger of the closing lidsticking tight is thus minimized.

The invention is now explained in closer detail by reference to theenclosed drawing showing merely an embodiment, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a flat gable package in accordance with the invention in aperspective view;

FIG. 2 shows the pouring element of the flat gable package in accordancewith the invention in a top view;

FIG. 3 shows a section through the pouring element along the lineIII--III from FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a section through the pouring element along the line IV--IV:from FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows the closing lid provided for the pouring element inaccordance with the invention in a top view;

FIG. 6 shows the closing lid from FIG. 5 in a side view in the directionof arrow VI;

FIG. 7A shows a first embodiment of the pouring element applied on theflat gable package in a cross section along the line VII--VII from FIG.1;

FIG. 7B shows a second embodiment of the pouring element applied on theflat gable package in a cross section along the line VII--VII from FIG.1;

FIG. 7C shows a further embodiment of the pouring element applied on theflat gable package in a cross section along the line VII--VII from FIG.1;

FIGS. 8A and 8B show embodiments of the possible fastening of theclosing lid on the pouring element.

FIG. 1 respresents a cuboid flat gable package in accordance with theinvention in its entirety in a perspective view. It represents a pouringelement 2 with a closing lid 3 which simultaneously represents theopening means of the flat gable package 1. A flange 4 of the pouringelement 2, which encompasses the opening area (not shown) on the upperside of the package, is rigidly attached to the package surface.

FIG. 1 further shows that the pouring element 2 is arranged on the sideof the package surface on which the gable seam 5 of the flat gablepackage 1 is folded and that the part of the flange 4 of the pouringelement 2 facing the gable seam 5 reaches approximately up to the gableseam 5 and up to the folding edge K of the package tab O and is fixedbetween package surface and folded gable seam 5. In this way the pouringelement 2 is fixed over its entire length and determined by theface-sided sealing of the package tabs (not designated in closer detail). The force occurring during the opening of the package by means ofclosing lid 3 as opening means can be broken down into a verticalcomponent F_(v) and into a horizontal component F_(h). It is clearly tobe seen that by the special arrangement of flange 4 of the pouringelement 2 any tearing off of the pouring element 2 is preventedreliably, because the part of the flange 4 which reaches up to the gableseam 5 is overlapped by the folded gable seam. This fact and the sealingon of the entire flange 4 reliably counteract the vertical componentF_(v) of the opening force. The horizontal component F_(h) is absorbedon the one hand by the sealing on of flange 4 and on the other handbecause the flange 4 in the zone of gable seam 5 reaches up to thefolding edge K of the package tab O and is fixed by the folded gableseam 5 and the sealed package tab O.

For further increasing the connection of the pouring element 2 and theflat gable package 1 it is provided in accordance with the inventionthat the part of the flange 4 of the pouring element 2 which is avertedfrom the gable seam 5 reaches over the edge of the package and isarranged in one piece with a back square 6 partly encompassing the sidewall and face wall of the package. It can be seen that the face-sidedpart of the back square 6 is provided with a recess 7 through which thepackage tab (not determined in closer detail) extends. As a result ofthe presented and thus preferable embodiment, the pouring element 2 isjoined even more rigidly with the package surface. The part of the backsquare o which projects on the face wall of the package is clampedbetween the package face wall and the tab O which is folded down, sothat both components F_(v) and F_(h) of the opening force can beabsorbed even better. Any tearing off of the pouring element 2 is thusreliably excluded.

The arrangement of such a possible embodiment of the pouring element 2with the respective closing lid 3 pursuant to the invention is shown inFIGS. 2 to 6. The closing lid 3 is thus hinged with the pouring element2 in such a way that on its actuation the flat gable package 1 is openedin the zone of the opening area, as will be explained below in closerdetail by reference to FIGS. 7A to 7C For the hinged bearing in thepouring element 2, the closing lid 2 is provided with two laterallyprojecting journals 8 which engage in the recesses 9 in the pouringelement 2. In the represented and thus preferable embodiment of thepouring element 2 the recesses 9 receiving the journals 8 are arrangedabove the opening area at the side of the pass-through opening 12.

FIGS. 7A to 7C now show several embodiments of the pouring element 2 inaccordance with the invention, applied on a flat gable package indicatedin dot-dash lines. It can be seen that the journals 8 divide the closinglid 3, which is arranged as an opening lever, approximately at a ratioof 1:4, with the given ratio representing the relationship between thepressing-in part of the lever and the handle part of the lever. FIGS. 7Ato 7C show in a dot-dash line the opening position of the closing lid 3.For secure re-closeability the opening lever 3 as indicated in FIGS. 7Aand 7B is provided with two snap-on noses 10 which are disposed at theside in the zone of the handle lever and snap into respective recessesof the pouring element (not disclosed in closer detail). An alternativeembodiment is shown in FIG. 7C. The pouring element 2 is provided with aclamping nose 11 which cooperates with a respective recess in theopening lever (not disclosed in closer detail).

The common feature of the embodiments in FIGS. 7A to 7C is that theclosing lid 3 presses into the package in the zone of the openingsurface (not disclosed in closer detail) and thus forms a pass-throughopening 12. FIG. 1 and 7B disclose further that the pouring element 2 isprovided with a pouring groove 13 which allows a drip-free pouring ofthe content of the package.

Moreover, FIGS. 2 and 5 disclose that in the represented and thuspreferable embodiment the closing lid 3 is provided with a sealing edge14 which overlaps the opening area at its forward edge and which restsin a respective recess 15 in the pouring element 2 when the closing lid3 is closed.

Finally, FIGS. 8A and 8B disclose that different variants are possiblefor clamping the journal 8 in the pouring element 2. The variantpursuant to FIG. 8A corresponds to the embodiment of recess 9 alreadyshown in FIG. 3. An alternative is shown in FIG. 8B. The snap-on of theclosing lid 3 into the pouring element 2 does not occur there verticallyto the surface of the pouring element 2, but at an angle of approx. 45°.The advantage of this embodiment can be seen in such a way during theopening movement a better support of the journal 8 in the recess 9' isensured and an inadvertent "levering out" of the closing lid 3 isreliably prevented.

We claim:
 1. A cuboid flat gable package prepared from a compositehaving at least one carrier layer made from paper or cardboard, acoupling layer, a barrier layer, and a double-sided plastic coating madefrom polyethylene (PE), with an opening area provided in the packagegable which is adapted to be severed to form a pour opening, with apouring element provided with a reclosable closing lid having a flangeencompassing the opening area that is rigidly connected to a packagesurface, with the closing lid adapted to sever the opening area and withthe opening area having a weakening to facilitate opening, characterizedin that the pouring element is arranged on a side of a package surfaceto which a gable seam is folded and a part of the flange of the pouringelement facing the gable seam extends approximately to the gable seamand is fixed between the package surface and the folded gable seam.
 2. Aflat gable package as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the flangeof the pouring element which is opposite of the gable seam beyond anedge of the package and is arranged in one piece with a back squarepartly encompassing a side wall and a face wall of the package.
 3. Aflat gable package as claimed in claim 2, wherein a recess is providedin a zone of a package tab between a face-sided part of the back squareand an upper portion of the pouring element.
 4. A flat gable package asclaimed in claim 3, characterized in that the recess is arranged as aslot-like recess and the width of the slot is only slightly larger thanthe thickness of the package tab.
 5. A flat gable package as claimed inone of the claims 1 to 4, wherein as a weakening the carrier layer andthe coupling layer are omitted in a zone of the opening area.
 6. A flatgable package as claimed in claim 1, wherein as a weakening the carrierlayer and the coupling layer arc provided with a notch in a zone of theopening area.
 7. A flat gable package as claimed in claim 5 or 6,wherein the omission of the carrier layer and the coupling layer and/orthe notch is produced by means of laser beam cutting.
 8. A flat gablepackage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pouring element is providedwith a pass-through opening which corresponds to the opening area in itssize and shape.
 9. A flat gable package as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe closing lid is arranged as an opening lever which is hinge-jointedin such a way with the pouring element that on its actuation the flatgable package is opened in a zone of the opening area.
 10. A flat gablepackage as claimed in claim 9, wherein the closing lid is provided withtwo lateral journals for a hinged bearing in the pouring element, saidjournals adapted to engage into respective recesses in the pouringelement.
 11. A flat gable package as claimed in claim 10, wherein therecesses receiving the journals are arranged in the pouring element at aside of a pass-through opening of the pouring element.
 12. A flat gablepackage as claimed in claim 10, wherein the recesses in the pouringelement allow a subsequent clamping of the journals.
 13. A flat gablepackage as claimed in claim 10, wherein the journals partition theopening lever at a ratio of 1:5 to 1:3.
 14. A flat gable package asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the closing lid and/or the pouring elementare provided with means for snap-locking the closing lid in a closedposition.
 15. A flat gable package as claimed in claim 1, wherein thepouring element is provided with a pouring groove toward a face wall ofthe package.
 16. A process for producing a flat gable package,comprising:producing the weakening in the carrier layer in the zone ofthe future pouring opening; prefolding the package blank; sealing thelongitudinal seam into a tube-like package envelope; folding and sealingof the package floor; filling the package; folding and sealing the uppergable seam; application of the pouring element provided with the closinglid on the opening area with vertically projecting gable seam; foldingthe gable seam onto a portion of the pouring element; and folding andsealing on the package tabs.
 17. A process as claimed in claim 16,characterized in that the application of the pouring element occurs bymeans of fusion adhesive.